Blessed
by CIF-lover
Summary: Not everyone is blessed and Billy believes he just is not one of the blessed people in the world. Character death, angst, and throwbacks to how Billy Batson was in the old comics. Pairings ensue but none with Billy. NOT really a religious story.


I do not own DC or anything they made/slash bought. This is what I think is called a drabble. I have been working on it for a while to cope with waiting for the out come of a couple of fairly risky surgeries on a loved one. Sorry for no updates but I have not been near most of my notes recently and situational depression has muddled my thoughts making it hard to write. Since the person I was thinking about when writing this is stable. I should be returning to my other stories soon. I hope you guys enjoy. I really liked writing this and it is not meant to be religious and does not reflect my personal feelings about death.

Blessed

William Joseph Batson was certainly _not _blessed. He had heard the word before and thought long and hard on it deciding that no, he, Billy Batson was definitely not blessed.

Bless. The word was odd to him. He could not actually remember if it was something his parents would say or if it was something that had made itself known to him since he began living on the streets. Either way, Billy knew that blessed was not a word anyone should ever use to describe him.

Bess was a good word. People blessed each other when they wanted good things to happen. Being blessed meant good things happened. No, Billy Batson was not blessed. His parents had died when he was very young. His Uncle E. had kicked him out. He had lived out on the streets for a couple of years feeling anything but blessed. There were a couple of times in Billy's rather brief life that he felt he was rather blessed. Meeting the Wizard Shazam and becoming Captain Marvel had left him feeling blessed until he realized that the powers came with a whole new set of problems when it came to finding a foster family or even staying in an orphanage for the particularly hard months of the year.

When Uncle Dudley had found him, Billy thought for sure that he was blessed. For a short time, he was completely inconsolably happy. All the best things that had happened to him seemed to come in the same week. Uncle D. brought him back to the orphanage he used to live at to officially adopt him on a Tuesday. Then, on Friday afternoon, after he was all moved into Uncle D.'s place, Batman swooped in on him in an alley and invited him to join the Justice League. A few weeks later, Billy believed he could possibly explode from pure happiness when he was eating regularly, getting the best grades of his life, and sleeping a nice warm place every night. He briefly stopped by Uncle D.'s place for a hug for luck then changed to fly off for his official induction to the Justice League of America. Billy had to admit, the Justice League was not exactly what he had expected but boy was it cool even with the other heroes being kind of stand-offish at first. It was then that Billy really felt blessed. A whole two years of good again and it felt as if it would always go on.

Then the best and worst happened. Sidekicks were finally being let into the Justice League, slowly, but Billy remembered how long his induction felt and empathized with the other young heroes. But their induction did not go as smoothly as his own. There were some complications that spawned the Young Justice League, a covert version of the original for like spy stuff. Even Billy had to admit, it was pretty cool. Billy should have known something bad was going to happen when Red Tornado disappeared. Billy getting to hang out with the coolest kids ever was just too much good for Billy Batson. Billy was just not blessed like that. It did not take long for him to blow his cover to both the Young Justice and the Justice League. 'At least it was for the good of the mission,' he remembered telling Uncle Dudley through tears when they'd been reunited after the mission. As he had figured, he was walking on eggshells for a while with the other heroes. It was not really that much of a surprise that his membership was on the line when the league next chose new members. He was relieved when they decided he could stay and late that night when he was safely tucked into the bed Uncle D. set up for him, he distinctly remembered feeling blessed.

Billy learned quick that things happen, in the league, at school, at home… It was little more than a year after Billy Batson had been exposed to the Justice League that he was finally convinced he was anything but blessed.

Unlike his parents, Uncle Dudley was engraved in Billy's mind. Billy remembered running out of school for a world crisis with the league. Saving the world regularly in grade school takes a careful balance. Unfortunately, Billy had not found that balance. Late two days later, Captain Marvel finally made it back home. The sight of the flashing lights of cop cars drew Captain Marvel in like the chance of a good basketball game might do to Billy. A short conversation with a cop had Cap speeding off to solitude only so Billy Batson could sprint back in a rush.

When Billy returned the flashing red, white, and blue lights seemed brighter, the crowd seemed bigger, the situation seemed heavier. Figures moved in the entrance to the apartment building and Billy forgot how to breathe in the dank air from this part of the city. Uncle D. did not struggle against the cop who had him cuffed. Billy's guardian looked broken to wide worried blue eyes. The words of the officer Cap had spoken to swam in his head. "Kid's guardian was obviously abusive. The kid was known to run away from this sicko. I just hope we can get the kid to testify against him so he stays behind bars." The memories hurt worse than anything. Billy was always sent to the nurse's office with all of his bruises, some from bullies, playing, and the worst always when Captain Marvel's battles went wrong and somehow Billy Batson found his way into them. Arguments with Uncle D. came crashing back. Mounting tension was always building between them but they loved each other right? He and Uncle D. were a family. Everyone thought Uncle Dudley was the problem. Someone like him could not handle a child. Even if Billy was the actual problem, it was all on Uncle D. Practically since Uncle D. had taken him in, this scene had given Billy nightmares only that time, he lived it. Living it was so much worse.

Billy was yelling as he sprinted up dodging between pedestrians and armed police pointing weapons at his only family. The words did not matter. All that mattered was that the cops saw him, that everyone saw him. Either too shocked or two slow, no one found it in their power to stop the panicked boy before he wound up with his arms securely wrapped around the bound man. Wet hot tears ran down his face and Billy knew they were a mixture of both his and Uncle Dudley's. The fight for the world had been brutal and surely Uncle Dudley watched every gruesome scene on his TV just like every other time Earth broadcasted their heroes' battles. Uncle D. always worried about Billy's safety when he was out doing Captain Marvel's shtick but Billy rarely had to worry about Uncle D. Now he did. Here was Dudley in cuffs with guns pointed at the both of them because the cops probably were still trying to process the situation.

All at once, strong hands were all over the pair, pulling them away from each other. Billy screamed in defiance. "Why didn't you run? Why aren't you fighting? Uncle D., you shoulda got outta here!" He was desperate in his struggle to get away from social workers, cops, pedestrians, anyone who dared keep him from his family.

Uncle D. just smiled softly through the tears. "I saw you were safe Billy." He sounded so broken as more tears found their way down each of their faces. Uncle Dudley looked old with grey hair and all those wrinkles glistening with the moisture on his face. "It doesn't matter as long as you're safe Billy. We'll get through this too. As long as you're safe, it doesn't matter." No one else could possibly make sense of what was said. At least none there could.

The words were ones similar to ones Billy had heard a lot during his stay with Uncle Dudley. Uncle D. always said how good Billy was but sometimes Uncle D. would get sad and drink and talk about how much more Billy was worth than him. He would say how great he thought Billy was and how he thought his charge deserved so much more than what they had. Billy could not help it. The thought of Uncle Dudley so much as thinking he was anything but the best for him made him angry. "Don't you dare!" He shouted. The on lookers probably thought he was yelling at the people manhandling him but his uncle got the message. It was clear by his rapidly widening watery eyes. Uncle Dudley sometimes said that Billy mattered more than him and it made Billy feel sick. Billy could remember them talking about all the potential Billy's life still had. After hearing all the negative he had before, Billy had trouble believing the older man and always rejected any of that talk sometimes almost violently so, even if it was just hinting. "Don't you dare say it doesn't matter. Of course it matters!" There was nothing in Billy's world that could possibly matter more. "I hate it! I hate you!" The words came out and Billy regretted them just for the sake of all the people watching. Once he caught his Uncle's eyes again through his own blurry vision, he regretted ever even caring what anyone else thought.

Billy fell to his knees at the same time Uncle Dudley did with some pained expression on his face. There was panicked shouting all over and paramedics rushed around the elderly man but Billy was deaf to it all. Somehow, Billy managed to escape the grasp of whoever had him and crawled through the thick mass of bodies around his uncle who had stopped breathing. Somehow, Billy knew what was happening. Somehow, he knew no one could help bring Uncle D. back. Billy watched in a haze as professionals tried to spark some life in his uncle but after several minutes of trying, nothing could be done.

Billy remembered a mixture of shouting and whispering his true feelings for his Uncle the whole time. People pried him away but he somehow always found a way to watch the scene that made his heart feel frozen. There were no tears shed by him during Uncle Dudley's heart attack. Billy figured he just hadn't been capable of crying by that time. If it was possible, he just felt too much to cry and that was it. Somehow, Billy convinced the social workers who were meant to take him out of Uncle Dudley's custody to let him go to the hospital the next day. An autopsy had been done showing that the fat and plaque buildup in the man's heart was just too much to get it pumping again. Doctors theorized that the extra pressure of getting arrested was probably too much for the man and his heart just gave out.

Billy knew though that Uncle Dudley had been battling with high blood pressure for quite a while and that it was probably nights spent watching his adoptive son get the red beat off of him coupled with possibly losing the kid from several sources and said child yelling at him that probably did him in. Billy felt terrible about how it ended but he knew Dudley knew he loved him. They had talked about it countless nights after battles or just because they could. Billy felt like Uncle Dudley could hear at least most of his cries of love as the man died. When Billy was allowed a short moment to sit and collect himself in the hospital's waiting room he did not cry. He had not since right before Uncle D. died. Billy just sat and thought about nothing really. Memories of Uncle Dudley's agonized face seared his eyes and made him dully think of all those civilians Cap couldn't save. He was empty, hollow, and though all of his instincts told him to run away, to escape before they managed to get him back into an orphanage, he could not seem to form enough thoughts to get his body to move without outside instruction.

Staring at particles in the carpet on the floor in front of him, Billy saw nothing but the terrible scenes engrained in his head by Captain Marvel's and his own eyes. He could hear the beeps and pages and general bustle that one would associate with a hospital but he did not recognize that there were familiar voices there. He did not notice that the voices his mind was most accustomed to really should not have been in this place. He could not piece together that something was wrong with the situation until a shadow crept into his line of sight and swallowed him up whole.

Billy stared, uncomprehendingly up at Batman until his numb body was handed over to a very angry looking Wonder Woman who smiled down at him for a moment before frowning back at the social workers in a way that made any sane sentient life form cower for their safety.

Finally Billy registered the talking. "The Justice League will handle his relocation." Billy blinked away the fogginess in his mind as he recognized Superman's voice. "His disappearances and well-being are now under our jurisdiction and are to be dropped by local authorities. How is this so hard to understand? He is vital to national security if not international security."

Batman growled as shadows seemed to form around him in well-lit waiting area. "And."

Superman nodded and waved the dark knight off absently. "And we'll be taking his former guardian's body with us but that is none of your concern." Billy watched as Batman crossed his arms and Superman's eyes widened slightly in the two's unspoken language that those outside of the league probably wouldn't even know was happening. The man of steel let out a barely perceptible sigh before continuing. "And I'll have you know that the charges against Dudley H. Dudley are being dropped. If you wouldn't mind spreading around the word that Dudley was a good man, I would appreciate it." It took longer than it should have for Billy to realize that Superman was staring at him when he said this but even when the boy made the connection, he could not put together what to say to it.

Apparently neither could the social worker because the group of heroes left unhindered from there even after they had to fight with the man to take the child. Near the hospital's entrance, Billy realized he was being carried. It was the sight of the Flash appearing in a blur in front of them looking vaguely troubled even in his cowl that brought the discovery to Billy's mind. He was much too old to be carried. He would be a teenager soon. Billy wordlessly struggled for a moment in Wonder Woman's strong grasp before the Amazonian seemed to get the picture and released him to stand on his own two feet.

Billy's lips parted in a slight struggle to breath that Billy would assume asthma felt like. Martian Manhunter had just entered with something big almost tubular in his arms that was in a black bag but covered by a dark blue sheet. Hawkwoman was by his side with a battle worthy expression on her face. It made Billy think more of the after battle. It was how she seemed to look when they cleaned up a city or were picking through rubble for survivors, except more so. That same artic chill spread from his heart as when Uncle Dudley first died and froze his feet to the floor of the hospital's entryway.

Flash licked his lips with a frown and moved super slowly as he approached Billy. It felt so wrong seeing the hero like that. Flash was always bright and open but now he seemed to be holding back. 'The Flash should never move so slow,' Billy thought. A red spandex clad arm wrapped around his shoulders and squeezed for a moment before gently pushing Billy forward and steering him away from looking at the Martian Manhunter and more importantly, at his burden. Billy's body got the message to move and work his legs even if his mind was still trying to piece together everything. Before he knew it, he was in the Javelin on his way to his new home.

Now Billy knows he is not blessed. It has been years since that day. He has not felt blessed since Uncle Dudley died. Billy takes his time on his stroll away from the gothic gardens on a private estate. The sun has not crested yet this morning and the sky is cast in an eerie greyish purple as Billy picks his way across a slightly worn path in the grass to a lonely looking hill. If nothing else, the landscape always makes the teenager feel like he needs to visit more often but he knows Uncle D. is not alone. He cannot be.

Billy stops before the graves and sits before approaching them. He still feels so small compared to those morbid stones but they are so welcoming that he eventually staggers back to his feet to begin his ascent anew and finally make his way to the one he is really seeking. The sitting thing is something he never grew out of. He wonders if he will ever not feel like such a kid creeping up on the adults resting here. He used to wonder if his visits were annoying them but he figured they would not mind. His eyes briefly grazed the others reverently, the Waynes, Jason, and memorials for the Drakes before resting on Uncle Dudley's grave. Not for the first time, Billy hoped the inscription he had chosen as a child would do the deceased proud. _Uncle D. You will always be my family. You will always be loved._ It was true and Billy wondered if it was improper to have just Uncle D. inscribed as his name but Mr. Wayne did not want someone stumbling upon the grave and piecing together a connection between Billy Batson and the famous Wayne clan.

"Hey Dudley. I love you." Billy had started like this every time he visited since he turned fourteen. It seemed wrong to tell the other man he missed him. It might rub it in that they couldn't spend time together anymore. "Man, you wouldn't believe what the Toyman tried to pull last week," it did not matter what he told the man. He always just spoke about whatever was on his mind. When Billy was fifteen, Alfred was surprised when he showed up on a Saturday morning claiming that he had great news to share with his uncle. He just knew Uncle Dudley would want to hear about his first kiss and he only felt a little awkward retelling it with Dick and Alfred there. The former stood sniggering and the latter solemnly listening before the trio adorned back to the mansion for breakfast with Tim. Billy felt good about sharing his life with his uncle. Uncle D. always said that there was so much there left for him and he somehow knew the older man would want to know that Billy continued to live it even after he was gone.

"And well you know Dinah. She actually got up and slapped Ollie before deciding he was right and kissing him anyway." By now it was nearly eleven and Billy had an audience but he did not care. "Well, she had to have known he was right anyway cause I mean, everyone has been saying it since Clark found out but it sure was a hoot to see break down crying right there in the Hall. Not sure anyone knew what to do then. Not the guys at least. I know I was ready to get the hell outta there before-" Billy cut off his retelling of the story when arms wrapped around him and looked up into Mrs. Dinah Queen's teary eyes and smiled. Black Canary looked so different in a sundress than any of her regular civilian clothes. "Sorry. Time already then?" Billy averted his eyes from her form to avoid any embarrassing mishaps. Like he often told Uncle D., life was hard being a teenager. He absently checked the comm nestled in his ear even though almost the whole league was present scattered out on picnic blankets making Billy wonder how exactly this really started. He stood and helped the woman shakily gain her footing before blushing when she hugged him properly. He should be used to this by now but being a teenager just seemed to make everything more awkward to him.

Dick was there with Wally and Artemis in seconds slapping a hand on Billy's shoulder with a chuckle. Wally was grinning like the moron he was as he spouted random nonsense. "Sure doesn't take much to get your blood boiling, does it? And Artemis says I get worked up quick." Billy's face deepened in color as he glanced down at his front just to be sure before turning a glare on the older boys who were now outright laughing.

Artemis punched Wally's shoulder though she was still smiling. "Would you stop it?" The exasperation in her voice did not mask the sheer happiness she was really feeling in this atmosphere. "Mr. Wayne says you want to give a speech before we all get to the celebrating." Billy frowned and he could physically feel the blood rush from his face. He hated public speaking as himself. The league had heard about his horrendous issues in his speech class and now they were all trying to get him used to talking as Billy Batson in front of people. Mr. Clark and Ms. Diana were even considering making Billy Batson the newest public affairs intern to the Justice League. They did not stop to consider there had been no previous interns to anything in the Justice League but regardless of their threats, Billy was sure Batman would not allow something like that for the mere safety of Captain Marvel's secret identity.

Billy took in a deep breath noting how Artemis's dress matched Mrs. Dinah's perfectly though without quite so much cleavage exposed. "I didn't say anything of the sort." Billy could not remember when he took up glaring at any of the people present but he sure did. Mr. Clark was approaching with a grin on his face that spoke of mischief and an item in his hand that screamed for Billy to run. Unfortunately, there was no escaping with Dick and Wally holding either of his shoulders in a firm grip. Billy audibly gulped as a battery powered microphone made its way to his sweaty palm. The man behind the Superman shield gave the nervous teenager's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Clark, I already told Bruce, I'm not doing this." He knew it was blatantly disrespectful to use their first names but the league had not said anything about it when he made the change at the start of this school year. He felt more adult now, along with all of his awkwardness, and he hoped they would consider him an adult soon too.

Dick and Wally began to guide Billy to a small dais set up looking down at the gathering from the hill. "That's too bad Willy." Dick said. "See all these people here have already been informed that you have something to say to honor the memory of those passed. Bruce says that the idea behind it is totally aster too though you may not have written anything out for the occasion."

Billy turned with a short spark of fire in his eyes. "My name's Will, WILL, not Willy. I am _not_ going by Willy, Dick." Billy thought for a second on the rest of what the former boy wonder had said and felt his shoulders tense up even more. "I didn't write anything, we were just talking." The high school student whined at the various adults surrounding him as they slowly approached the platform Bruce was standing at. Billy felt as though he was in the casket of a funeral procession. His friends were guiding him to his final resting place while he feels claustrophobic and can't breathe. Billy sincerely hoped Uncle D. did not feel like this when he got buried. "For God's sake, I only brought it up last night!" Billy was panicking now as people's attention began to be drawn to him.

Wally squeezed his shoulder in what Billy assumed was supposed to be a reassuring way but really just made him feel like a bad guy Nightwing and the former Kid Flash caught trying to mug someone. "Bats says it was really nice stuff you were saying and that you really seemed to know what you were talking about. Besides, it is just the league, and the team, and a few miscellaneous onlookers like me. It isn't like anyone important is here." Billy's face contorted into one of sheer terror as the speedster spoke. That _was _everyone important!

The teenager was visibly trembling as he was escorted onto the platform by Mr. Clark and Mrs. Dinah. Both were smiling though Dinah was crying. Billy was used to the blonde crying now though so he disregarded the emotional display as he stood awkwardly behind Bruce Wayne. He resolved never to spend the night in Wayne Manor again because apparently this was the outcome of a chance meeting in the kitchen while looking for a late night snack. Yes, Mr. Wayne, the billionaire, punished his guests for eating too much of his fancy food by making them barf it all up the next day while trying to address all of their closest friends and coworkers.

Mr. Wayne had the gall to smile at him before turning to the crowd of heroes. "Today is the anniversary of an event that is very important to many of us here." Billy looked out at the civilian versions of the heroes gathered and wondered why his uncle's death would mean anything to them at all but most of them did look solemn. "We, as heroes or former heroes and even the families of such have made sacrifices that none should be expected to make and it's difficult to remember why sometimes. What many of us do is neither a requirement nor a privilege. Why we do it is a very personal matter that is unique to each of us. Billy Batson was kind enough to share his thoughts with me last night about our gatherings here on this day and with a little encouragement, maybe he will do the same for all of you." Mr. Wayne was smiling again as he clapped and Billy dully recognized the sated applause humoring friends might give one another though it was amplified by just how many were there.

Mr. Clark shoved Billy forward to get his legs to work and the teenager worked the moisture back into his mouth to utter, "Bruce, I don't want to do this." He wondered how frightened he must look. The boy who was facing down super villains at the age of eight could not handle public speaking. Sure, as Captain Marvel he had the Courage of Achilles, but Billy Batson had gone between mortal and magical in several battles over the years and still come out intact more or less.

Mr. Wayne caught his darting eyes with a strong gaze. "I think Mr. Dudley would like to hear you speak about this Billy. Just act as though you are alone with me or Clark or your uncle. You'll do fine. Nothing you say can possibly be wrong, it's your opinion. Besides, these are people like you, they'll understand. I certainly do." Billy absently nodded as he approached the podium and took in the gathering that was far too big for him being more than one hundred. He clicked on his microphone and wondered where Bruce's went as he put his into the slot with difficulty because of his shaky sweaty hands. "William Batson." Bruce Wayne announced again as he dismounted the stairs though Mr. Clark remained somewhere off to the side of the portable stage.

Another wave of applause erupted, this time much louder as younger or more rambunctious heroes cheered. Billy could hear himself swallow as he tried to compose himself and stop trembling. There was a bit of laughter at that from the Young Justice but soon there was silence. Billy wished there would be an emergency that at least pulled some of the guests away, nothing serious like a tsunami or aliens invading but something simple like meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere. Yeah, that would be good because he would be likely chosen for such a catastrophe. His eyes flicked up to the clear blue sky to see nothing amiss and he nearly cursed even with the microphone inches from his mouth.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and thought about how many more people were here than in his class and how Cap always talked to reporters but unfortunately that did nothing to quiet his pounding heart or his queasy stomach. "Look, I didn't know I was doing this until this morning so don't laugh." He felt like bashing his head against the podium as soon as the words left his mouth and briefly wondered how far away he could get if he sped off as Cap before the Justice League hunted him down like an animal.

Bart Allen was quick to heckle him. "Too late for that dude!" The youngest speedster shouted. This earned him some sort of reprimand M'gann and Billy could hardly make out Garfield Logan's "Noted," at the end of it.

Everyone was soon staring expectantly at him in a way that would make his Speech teacher proud but just made him wish they were like the teens in his class who would whisper, sleep, or pass notes during other people's speeches. Billy closed his eyes from a moment and thought about what he had said to Mr. Wayne last night. It was something very private, something that he had been thinking about this morning, yesterday, last week, at least last month. He took a deep breath, knowing he could do this. No matter how stupid he sounded, these people would not just abandon him. They might /would definitely/ poke fun at him but they would never really hold anything he said against him. He took a deep breath and let out a shaky laugh, "Sacrifice huh? I actually didn't even think about that part of it. I was- I was just saying how much my uncle's death changed my life." Billy looked back at Uncle D.'s grave and sighed remembering that he could tell the man anything. He could certainly tell Uncle Dudley this.

"You see, my parents died when I was little and for a while, I just lived on my own, avoiding anyone who was sent to help because they always made it worse. I can dimly remember going into some big church one Christmas because it was warm. It was one of those churchy things, you know, when they all get together and pray while the priest talks about being good and God and stuff. Well, I remember one part very clearly and a lot of churches do this during just about every gathering I've been to. The priest turned to the people and said 'bless you' and then all the people turned to each other and said 'bless you' and it was weird. But that wasn't the only time I heard someone bless another person. Cap's been blessed more times than I can count on my school's nifty scientific calculators.

"The point is, people have bestowed many many blessings on me but I'm not blessed. People say that the wizard's gift to me is a blessing but it really isn't. It kept me from having a family when I had no one to turn to. Instead of making everything better, Cap made my life ten times harder. I didn't have the option anymore to go to an orphanage, well not and help people as Cap. I definitely couldn't get adopted because I couldn't just tell a family, 'Oh by the way, I come with superpowers.' There was no way I could even remotely be a normal kid anymore because there was no way I was giving up on doing good.

"You see, I promised my parents I'd be good till they got back home and with Cap by my side I can really do some good, enough to counter out what ever mischief I get into at least. Even so, my powers are not a blessing. They can't be. Not with all the bad that comes my way.

"Then, Uncle Dudley came into my life and found out my little special secret. He gave me food when he could find me and bought me some clothes once or twice and eventually, he'd have me stay over to eat meals and watch TV in a temperature controlled setting. After a while of this, I finally felt like I could trust this grown up. Like he was better than the rest of them I saw all the time so one day when he asked if he could adopt me, I actually agreed and moved into his apartment to sleep on his couch. It actually wasn't until the week Batman asked me to join the Justice League that I was officially adopted.

"Then I felt blessed. I was getting all these things and people were willingly talking to me instead of just pushing me aside or pretending I wasn't there at all. Me and Uncle D. had a family and I felt that in the league, I had friends. And it just kept getting better because I was meeting all these awesome heroes and I was back in school and actually passing in math thanks to Uncle D. I felt blessed, like all this good was here to stay. I mean, it was bumpy. I had fights in the league and me and Uncle Dudley didn't always get along and there was a time I thought that I might get kicked out of both the league and the house but for the most part, I had everything I needed or wanted and I felt blessed.

"It wasn't until Uncle D. died that I found out how wrong that was. Any family I had just died, my parents and Uncle D. And I just felt lost. I didn't know what I was going to do and honestly, I didn't even have time to start thinking about it. Uncle D. died and then the next day, the Justice League just picked me up and whisked me away. And when I was a kid, I figured that the Justice League was just helping me because if they didn't then Captain Marvel would probably have to leave the league until I grew up or escaped from the foster system again.

"It took me a really long time to actually piece together what the Justice League and the Young Justice did. Like I said, I thought you guys helped me to keep Cap around and on missions but eventually, I started to realize how stupid that sounded. A few of the original seven picked me up from the hospital and that fit pretty well with my theory. They removed me from public records and made me disappear but when I got onto the ship there were so many leaguers there, I thought we were having a meeting that I forgot about. It wasn't until Zatanna started crying that I actually started mourning Uncle D. It was because of everyone crying and hugging me that day that I realized the Justice League actually cared about how I felt. Everyone was so good about my situation. I was living in the Watch Tower but I slept over in heroes' apartments and houses. Everyone brought me food and toys. People spent time with me and were there for me. Years after Uncle D.'s death, I was still getting hugs and a strong shoulder to cry on and I am almost shocked to say that those things haven't gone away.

"Uncle Dudley was the first person to be nice to me, the real me, since my parents' deaths without asking for anything in return. And even though I am not blessed like all those people say. I don't have parents and I lost a lot of great people in my life, I still have so much. I have got to be the luckiest boy alive cause I have you. Last night, I told Bruce the truth, that he's my hero cause he saved me and that I am so lucky that I have the opportunity to save others. All you guys are my heroes and I really appreciate how much you've helped me. Thank you Uncle Dudley, and thank you heroes of Earth. What you've done for me is more than I ever could have hoped and it so much more than someone just wishing well for another with their blessings.

"And though it sometimes feels like too much, I am so thankful I have been given the opportunity to help others. Maybe there's nothing I could have done to save Uncle D. but I can save others who have families and people who love them. Like there was nothing anyone could do to undo all the bad in my life, but how you guys just made some good for me just like Uncle Dudley. So thanks." Billy stopped, feeling like he just rambled out too much. He looked back at the graves further up the hill and caught Mr. Clark's eye noticing the tears streaking down the Kryptonian's cheeks. Well that wasn't good. He turned back to the crowd noticing many sniffles and tears among the onlookers and immediately felt bad.

He did this. Billy made the most important people in his life cry. He couldn't believe no one shut him up earlier but he was too busy looking of at that one spot in the distance like his teacher always told him to do to notice all the hurt he caused with his awkward stupid words. He felt Mr. Clark's hand on his shoulder as the older man guided him away from the microphone to speak into it. "Thank you Will." Though he addressed the teenager, his words were directed into the microphone. Billy could not believe that the older hero did nothing to obscure the twin trails of glistening tears on either side of his face but the display was not an odd one among the other heroes today. Superman's words followed him as he stumbled off the stage. "I think there's times when we all need help. That is why we're here after all. We can't forget all those who have passed but we shouldn't dwell on their passing. We should celebrate all of the good they have spread and try to make some of our own. Mr. Wayne was kind enough to offer this portion of his estates to us today as well as providing catering for the event. Thanks Bruce. Everyone else, eat and enjoy. Games should begin in an hour or so and no cheating this year… Bart."

Billy could dully hear the echo of broken laughter surround him as he turned from the crowd with all his thoughts directed to retreating to Uncle D.'s grave. He didn't make it far though because soon a body crashed into his own with arms wrapped around him. Loud sobbing erupted next to his ear and Billy instantly recognized it and matched it to the voice of a certain supersonic screech that was currently on suspension. Both he and Mrs. Dinah went tumbling over onto the ground causing the boy to slightly panic for the woman's well-being before several pairs of hands were on them both.

"Dinah! Get off the boy. You'll hurt him!" Mr. Oliver scolded his moody wife. Beside him, Roy's clone stood chuckling while they tried to pry the woman off of Billy.

Mrs. Dinah just tightened her grip and buried her face into the back of Billy's neck. "No! I just love him sooo much." Her voice darkened into something that might make the Batman proud… or maybe even scared at its source. "I want him."

Barry Allen's hands wiggled between the woman's arms and Billy's chest before the speedster began pulling at her limbs. "Dinah, he is not a stuffed animal. You can't take him home and shove him in the nursery. Trust me, Iris tried that already. It doesn't work." By now Billy had joined the efforts to remove the woman but no one wanted to hurt her so it was slow going, especially since she was so in shape from fighting crime for over a decade.

"Miss Dinah, please lemme go!" Billy cried out, trying not to get too much grass in his mouth since he was face down on the ground.

She tightened her grip. "That's Mrs. Queen now remember?" Her husband just chuckled when Billy groaned. Their wedding had been strange to say the very least. He would not forget.

"Mrs. Queen! I call uncle. Uncle! Uncle!" Billy marveled at how the woman could remain attached to him so long with so many super powered beings around to help.

He could now hear Connor's grunt in the mix with the other heroes'. Mrs. Dinah just shook her head obstinately as she cried. "No! I wanna bring you home and keep you forever and ever! We'll watch Disney movies and eat pretzels since Ollie won't let me eat anything from a microwave anymore."

Billy tried shaking her off by rolling as several heroes laughed at his remark. "You don't own any Disney movies! All Ollie has is Toy Story, the first one."

He was surprised when the woman sat up and released him to adjust the straps on her dress with a contemplative look. "Ollie, we need to buy more children's movies." Everyone seemed shocked by how calm she suddenly was but she had been going through the rapid mood swings for almost two weeks so no one really commented on it.

Soon Billy was being helped to his feet by M'gann and Mr. Arthur. The king of the sea kept a firm grip on the teenager's shoulder and grinned with misty eyes reminding Billy that he just very effectively attacked Earth's mightiest heroes. M'gann hugged the dazed teen and planted a chaste smooch on his cheek that he literally forgot to blush about. Confusedly, Billy did what was nearly second nature after years of leading a double life. "I um gotta go change the tires on my car for the race." He wanted to slap himself once the words were out of his mouth because they made next to no sense but he was really having a difficult time putting thoughts together in his panic.

M'gann released him with a laugh. "Billy, we know you don't have anything else planned for today. You aren't escaping the festivities short of a league crisis."

Billy then began to chant, "Meteors crash into Earth. Meteors crash into Earth. Meteors crash into Earth," earning him a hit on the shoulder from Artemis. "Ow!" He rubbed his admittedly barely even stinging wound. "It's not okay to hit." He reprimanded the young woman with a smile.

"It's not okay to run away from your family on a day of remembrance either, Billy." Billy really should have noticed J'onn standing there but honestly, he was too whelmed to completely notice his surroundings. There were all sorts of smiles around him and people affectionately rustling up his hair with varying degrees of force. He was getting hugged, rubbed, and generally touched. Words from the heroes were a jumbled mess to Billy's mind but he didn't need to hear his friends say how much they loved him to know it was true.

Billy was not blessed. Blessed meant good things happened to people and good things just didn't happen to Billy Batson. He let his eyes trail up to the graves one last time before he got swept away by those he loved who were still living. Good things didn't happen to Billy, the best did, and he was determined to enjoy them as much as possible. His eyes snagged on Clark, Bruce, and Diana talking and laughing with a great deal of emotion showing on their faces and Billy remembered the horrible speech he just gave. He would enjoy the time he had with his family even if they were determined to make him suffer.

* * *

I hope this was not too bad. It made me feel better in the waiting room for a few procedures over the past couple of weeks... Not really sure how long it has been. As always, tell me what you thought and let me know if there is any way to improve it. Thanks for reading.


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